Led OVER Fed

Did you know when it comes to domesticated sheep, if left to their own, they would die? That is right; the domesticated sheep we know and use for wool, etc., need to be shepherded or they will die. They need to be led in the right direction or they will wander into danger: in 2006 in Turkey, a flock of 400 sheep leapt to their death as they followed a sheep that tried to jump cross a 45 foot ravine. Sheep need to have their wool sheared off or it would grow too heavy for them to move, and they would die. Also, if a sheep ends up on its back, it is unable to turn back over, and without assistance to get back up, will die.

The fact is that sheep need a shepherd to survive, and so do we as people. No wonder the Bible, and Jesus, refer to people as sheep. Simply put, sheep wander, and if left alone will wander into danger. We are no different, right?

“All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way…” Isaiah 53:6(a) ESV

This is so me: when left to my own I wander. I know what is best for me and where I need to go to get it. Although completely dependent on their shepherd for their survival, it is all about his leading and nothing to do with their feeding.

Years ago I found myself going to church on Sundays with the expectation of being fed, and if the feeding was not satisfactory I would start to consider the need to find a new place to feed. Have you ever felt like this? This would be no different than sheep expecting their shepherd to to pull up only the kind grass they liked best, and then feed it to them. Sheep don’t expect that, they simply need to be led to a place where there is a food source, and they will take it from there.

Proper feeding for sheep happens when they let their shepherd lead them to a place where there is good food for them. This is what Jesus says He does for us as the Good Shepherd (John 10). The Greek word for shepherd is “poimen”, “pastor” in Latin, and where the title “Pastor” comes from. So then, this is what any shepherd, of any flock under his care, on any Sunday should be doing: leading God’s sheep to a place where they can feed. There is one place for this, and only one place that is vast enough to offer the best food indefinitely, and that is God’s Word.

So now when you start to think you’re not being “fed” enough at church, or the way you want to be fed, maybe it is not an aptitude issue with the pastor’s feeding skills, but an attitude issue about you, the follower. So long as the pastor is leading you to a feeding from God’s Word, then there will be more than enough to keep you full, as you feed yourself by going back to His Word throughout the week. The pastor shows you the pasture, it is your job to graze until He leads you to the next one. This is what keeps you full…and more importantly, keeps you from wandering - and that is wonderful!

For me as a pastor, I desire to be a godly leader as opposed to a worldly feeder. I want to lead His people, His way, to His Word. I seek to encourage us to become more concerned with helping others find their way to His leading, over any single feeding they have had before. Led over Fed…enough said.

In His grip,

Pastor Pat